Slide-Out Plumbing Catastrophe - don't let it happen to you

[CatchinRays]

I thought I’d post this to help anybody that has a kitchen on a slide-out because it might save you a lot of time and effort.

I have a 2005 Holiday Rambler Navigator 45PBQ with the kitchen on the passenger side and on a slide-out. Of course I’ve always wondered how any slide works that has plumbing in it because the kitchen sink drains out of the slide with 1 ½” rigid PVC pipe.

What it does is as it leaves the slide-out, it turns and attaches to a white semi-flexible hose that’s shaped like a “U” along with all the hot and cold water lines and the wiring. At the top of the “U”, the whole conglomeration of wires and pipes are hard mounted to a sliding track – so as you take your slide in or out, the wires and pipes flex on the semi-flexible “U” bundle. And as the slide goes out, there is a small accordion wall that tracks along with the slide to cover up the conglomeration – if you detach this accordion you will see the “U”.

So, what happened to me was that the screws holding the track in place that guides this whole mess in-and-out, backed out….and interfered with the sliding track. I was able to bring in my slide just fine….but as I traveled my 400 miles home, the screws decided to unscrew just enough to keep my sliding track from moving – so when I got home and attempted to open that slide, all the hard plumbing in the kitchen moved, but the track was pinned in place by both screws on the track – busting my hard pipe smack in two.

Of course I fixed it, but discovering that the screws where the culprit had me scratching my head for awhile – I couldn’t figure out why when we were bringing the slide in, the track would just stop – I reached back there and was pulling the hell out of the hard drain pipes when it hit me that it was stopping because of the screws on the track.

So, do yourself a favor if you have a similar setup – detach the small accordion wall next to your kitchen and double check those track screws to make sure they aren’t backing out – it will save you a ton of work and frustration.

[barmcd]

Lots of us have had to deal with that spa hose leaking, but no screws backing out of that hardware.

[windsorbill]

As Dennis says, lots of us have been there. The spa hose connection to the black ABS is often a failure point. Moving back and forth seems to break there. My plumbing goes out of the slide and under the fridge(not in a slide), then turns and goes down to the tank. That 90 degree bend under the fridge cracked from the movement and would only leak when slides were in. When slide was out, it would seal the crack in the ABS fitting. Heck of a time tracking that leak until it got all my tools in the basement wet and then it got personal.

[saddlesore]

That is the main #1 reason I spec'd a single slide with no appliances or sink in the slide.


As time goes on we will be seeing many more issues with slides that have appliances mounted in them... just wait until someone busts a flex propane line while they are cooking....

[CatchinRays]

I can see the white flex hose as being a point of failure, but that seems it could be somewhat expected - but to have the system break in two because a couple of screws backed out was so preventable if I had checked them - its hard to prevent a hose getting loose or cracking, but checking the screws is easy preventive maintenance.

[ZackMan]

Originally Posted by CatchinRays

I can see the white flex hose as being a point of failure, but that seems it could be somewhat expected - but to have the system break in two because a couple of screws backed out was so preventable if I had checked them - its hard to prevent a hose getting loose or cracking, but checking the screws is easy preventive maintenance.

This feedback is extremely helpful and thanks for the post. I’ll put this on my “To Do” list because I have the exact setup in our 2007 Monaco Executive.

[CatchinRays]

One other thing to check....as I kept thinking this through.....

After replacing the broken drain pipe with all new white PVC, I brought in the slide - and 8" from closing, the tracking system stopped and started to bend my brand new piping backwards - that's when I noticed that the track was hitting my backed-out screws that hold up the track.

So, I assumed that the screws are what held the track in place when I was opening it - but I might not have been correct. While it may not have been the culprit on opening it, it would have surely broken my pipe on closing.

I think I actually had 2 things going on - I now believe what actually broke my pipes on opening the slide is the small accordion panel (which is actually cabled to the PVC pipe - a HORRIBLE design!!) - I think that the panel hung up on its track....and when it hung up, it snapped my drain pipe in a heartbeat.

My solution involved 2 upgrades:

1) I mounted a metal bracket that screws to the slide right under the hard PVC pipe and extends all the way into the cubby-hole right where the PVC pipe meets the flex line. I then used heavy-duty zip ties and secured the pipe to the bracket for support. It doesn’t add a ton of support, but it does add some.

2) My 2nd improvement to keep this from happening again was to use a bungy cord wrapped around the bracket, which then hooks to both places on the accordion door – that way, if the accordion door hangs up again, the bungy cord will stretch and not snap my drain off.

I've attached a picture of the bracket that's below the kitchen drain pipe I replaced and you can see the bungy-cord that now pulls the accordion door.

Hope this helps.

[Jaceutah]

If it would be alright to ask my question in this thread...
I have the very same setup in my kitchen passenger slide. We rarely open this slide because it leaks badly, even after a 'professional' fix.
My question is asking for your opinion on my resolution to a slice hole I have discovered in the flex pipe right next to the top pvc connection. The flex pipe is the drain for the kitchen sink as described in this post earlier.

I cannot take it all apart to replace the flex (spa) pipe at this time. I have both silicone tape(ER Tape and Xtreme Tape) and Enternabond RV EMT RoofSealPlus tape.
I cannot get the tape AROUND the flex pipe due to the black plastic shield.
I thought I would apply the largest piece of Eternabond that I can side to side to seal the leak until I can get some help.
I have never used either material.
What do you think about this? Would Eternabond be the best solution for now.
Please see the attached photos.
Thank you for any input.

[asheville]

I just replaced my 11/2 inch flex hose last month, however your post made me take another look at slide and sure enough my screws holding up the metal slide track are backing out also, thanks for

[asheville]

You can only see those screws when the slide is out!

[vito.a]

How do you disconnect the wood accordian door to access this area?
Where are the track screws that need checking?
Do you just tighten the screws, or did you add Locktite?
Thanks

[CountryB]

I have same question as Vito about the accordion door. We have different brand coaches but probably the same mechanicals as they were both built by Monaco.

I'd like to inspect this area too.

In the photo, the accordion is in the lower right corner below the pantry (this is not a photo of my coach - mine is similar though but different floorplan). Is this the same thing/place you are talking about?

[RobRoy]

Originally Posted by vito.a

How do you disconnect the wood accordian door to access this area?
Where are the track screws that need checking?
Do you just tighten the screws, or did you add Locktite?
Thanks

On my unit you pull the end cap off ( it just snaps in ..just pry out ) then the accordian door slides out the end



Happy Trails

[hypoxia]

I just repaired my drain hose a couple of weeks ago for the second time, the third time if you count my last coach. I decided the spa hose Monaco used is too stiff and switched to industrial vacuum hose. It is far more flexible and is the same stuff used at a car wash.

The roll up door on mine is held by a cable with a clip, the cable clips to the door and goes around a plumbing pipe and clips to the door again.

I'll have to check the screws but I think they are tight.